IK Multimedia launches its first Android app: iRig Recorder

After having notched up over 10 million total app downloads on the iOS platform, Italy's IK Multimedia has announced its first move into Android territory with the iRig Recorder app. Essentially turning any Android mobile device into a quality audio-capture device for interviews, music performances, rehearsals, lectures, and the like via its built-in microphone, the free-to-install recording app comes with multiple signal processing effects and file sharing features.

According to IK Multimedia, the basic iRig Recorder Android smartphone and tablet app is available now from Google's Play Store, and is designed to be as easy-to-use as possible. There's no complicated setup, users just need to install, launch and hit record (though an auto record feature is also included, that starts capturing audio as soon as the app is launched). Usefully, the recording time is limited only by the amount of space available on your device.

Recorded files can be saved on the Android device itself (with automatic grouping and geo-tagging), shared over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, or exported in CD-quality (16-bit/44.1 kHz) uncompressed WAV format, or as (compressed) OGG files ranging from 64 to 192 kbps. A range of included audio processors automatically optimize levels/tone to help ensure the best recording quality, and the original file is retained when using the in-app editor, just in case you accidentally cut something you shouldn't.

More advanced waveform editing functionality and additional effects processing can be added into the basic package for US$4.99, and the app is also compatible with IK Multimedia's external microphones and hardware – including the iRig MIC handheld microphone, the iRig MIC Cast compact microphone that plugs into the audio jack of the mobile device, and the iRig PRE microphone pre-amp which allows users to plug in professional XLR microphones.

Unfortunately, the launch of other apps from IK Multimedia's music and recording range may be subject to some delay.

"For apps such as AmpliTube, VocaLive and even DJ Rig, an important requirement is a low latency audio signal path," the company's Paul Kaufman told Gizmag. "This is inherent in the design of iOS devices but is currently missing from Android devices. Basically, if you played your guitar through an Android device there would be a fraction of a second delay before you heard the sound back through your headphones or speaker. This would sound like a short echo after each note and would make it extremely off-putting and it would be impossible to play smoothly. We understand that a future update to Android will resolve this issue which will then allow these kinds of apps to work as they should."

The video below walks through many of the iRig Recorder for Android features.